Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Fire And Rims Blown

At the end of August I wrote about a pervasive danger facing individuals who are actively involved in the Christian lifestyle. I’m afraid September wasn’t a better month for these folks.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees religious freedom, and I’m a huge fan of the First Amendment. I’m also a big fan of our interstate highway system. I’m not advocating new limitations or regulations on either one. If a bunch of consenting adults want to pack themselves into a van designed for hauling cargo like a gaggle of circus clowns, that’s their business.

However, these stories make it clear that a disproportionate number of the victims of this tragic phenomenon are children who are under the age of consent. These are innocent children whose only fault is surrendering 100% of their care and well-being to their religious indoctrinators. This is specially troubling when the precepts of that religion favor the well-being of its followers in a hypothetical “afterlife” over their well-being in reality.

Her fight began on Saturday, as she and fellow members of the church traveled to the Rock the Universe concert in Orlando. Around mile marker 55 on I–4, a tire blew out on the van they were traveling in. It flipped into the median, and she landed on her head.

Deceased victims identified in church van crash …. According to Knox County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Martha Dooley, Schaeffer was convicted of one felony county of robbery in January 2011. … Settle said he had never seen such a serious accident.

Courteney, one of two victims of Sunday’s fiery and horrific head-on collision on Chapman Highway between an SUV and the church bus in which the girl was riding, will be buried on Thursday. Friends, family, school officials and even … Izzy, who said …

Seven people were injured when a church van collided with an SUV at Fifth Street and Park Avenue Saturday about 10:30 p.m. The Huntington Manor Fire Department responded to the crash that brought about 60 emergency personnel to the scene.